Elizabeth Hills, 16

District 1 Female

I sit crossed-legged on the lush velvet couch in the Justice Building room. I try to keep a smile on my face as I wait for my family to walk in. The room is so quiet for a while, that once I hear the creak of the door open, I get a bit startled by it.

My little sister Catherine skips into the room joyfully, followed by my father, and my mother, holding my baby brother Milan in her arms, who she sets down on the floor, and I stand up from the coach to accept a tearful hug from my mother.

"We are so proud of your darling." My mother has always been a dramatic woman, and pulls out her lace handkerchief to wipe her tears.

"Mother. Don't you dare cry! I can assure you we'll be together again."

Though honestly, I'm not quite sure I'll ever return home. If I perish in the arena, at least I'll be content with my death.

I pull my little sister in my arms. She is only a mere 7-years-old, and I doubt my parents have educated her yet on why I am leaving.

"Catherine." I whisper in her ear. "Live with no regrets."

Tears well in my sister's eyes, and I release her from my arms. My father takes my hand, and places a deep blue ring on my finger, which quickly turns a shade of orange.

"You'll need this. So you can remember your family in that arena." He says, referring to the mood ring now on my finger.

My family sells mood rings for a living, so I don't see how this is special, but I thank my father anyway, and wave to my family as they are rushed out by the peacekeepers. I sit back down on the couch, waiting to leave this small room.

"I need a cigarette." I say, loudly enough to grab the attention of the peacekeeper guarding my door.

"I can't give that to you." He barks. "They hurt your lungs, and you'll need energy for what is to come."

I groan, and put my head down in my hands. What the hell did I sign up for?

After Rubio broke up with me, just two weeks ago, I considered reporting our relationship to the school leaders. Then I wouldn't get in trouble since I fessed up to it. But I decided against it, because I'm not petty like that. And despite my newfound anger toward Rubio, I don't want to ruin his life. So now I have to walk into history class every day, suck it up, and pretend nothing ever happened between us.

But one thing Rubio taught me is that you can't be afraid to take risks. So I signed up to be chosen as a volunteer. I've always been a star student at both my school, and the academy, and I made a successful plea for the academy to choose me, despite my age. Apparently a girl younger than me was selected in District 4, so they thought if she had potential, I did too.

If I win, maybe that means I do have purpose in this life, and maybe then I can even prove to Rubio that I am the right one for him. Maybe he would choose me.

Selene Katsaros, 18

District 2 Female

My parents rush out of the room, obviously still ignorant to the fact I am still mad at them. I peer at the clock, watching the time pass, as I wait to see if Sasha walks in.

After the reaping, despite the decision being made already, I feel regret pile into my stomach. It would be a disgrace to everyone, especially my family if I backed out of volunteering. And I haven't heard from Sasha all week long, who knows how her family feels? For so long, it was her dream and goal to volunteer, and now it is all taken away from her because my parents are selfish. No, that's not the right word. Narcissistic.

I hear voices outside of my room, though I can't quite pick up on who they belong to. A few moments later, the door opens, and I am gratefully surprised to see Sasha walk in, but her dark face looks puffy, and she does not seem happy.

"I only came to visit you because my mother encouraged me." She huffs.

I stay on the couch, trying to keep my distance since I can tell she doesn't want to be here right now.

"I'm glad we can talk." I say. "I can see why you would be mad, but I want you to know that I never intended for this to happen."

"But that's why it's so unfair! I worked hard, for so many years, and it was all for nothing?"

"Sasha, believe me, I wish we could trade places right now, but there's nothing else I can do."

"Yeah, you're just sucking up to your parents again." She scoffs. "I have nothing else to say, girl. But good luck, you'll need a lot of it."

Before I can say more, Sasha leaves the room, and I try to follow her but am stopped by the guards. Winning the games was everything to Sasha, and now she has to rethink her entire life plans. All because I wasn't brave enough to reject my selection to volunteer. Even if the whole district resented me for it, they would still understand why Sasha deserves the spot.

I wash the thoughts away, and start focusing on my real problem now. Even if my best friend now hates me, it doesn't mean I don't want to win. I know how to make people like me, and I will use that to my advantage.

Namid Ortiz, 18

District 5 Male

"I have faith in you, mi amor." My mom says, holding me in her arms as if I'm a little boy again.

"Find my brother. Tell him about me and dad." I say, knowing that our only legacy will live on in Samuel, my lost brother.

She gives a comforting smile, and lets go of me before leaving the room. In our household, we've learned not to cry, to suppress our emotions whenever we feel conflict. Too much pain has happened for us to mope about it.

So when Sally runs in, crying and squeezing herself around me, I have nothing to do but to tell her that it's okay, even when I know it's not.

"I'm gonna be honest with you, babe." I say, pulling away from Sally. "I don't have any hope that I'll make it out alive, so I'm warning you that we may never see each other again."

"I don't want that to happen." She says, her voice trembling.

"I wish I treated you better, Sal. I wish I would've gotten to know you more."

Sally pulls me closer to her, and kisses me. I feel like I should feel something, but I feel nothing at all. I don't even know what else to say.

"I think I love you, Namid." Sally says quietly, but still loud enough for me to hear clearly.

And I don't know how to respond to that either. So I look down at my shoes, and find a way to change the subject while we still have time.

"Maybe I should have agreed with you about Pyre. Maybe I was blind this whole time and didn't see the warning signs." I say.

"Now is a weird time to bring that up, but I guess you'll have someone to talk to about that."

I nod, knowing Sally is referencing Alberta right now. Now is also a weird time to be thinking about her, but I'm wondering what she is doing right now. Her sister is probably visiting her, thanking her for volunteering, but I'm not sure if she has any other family left. I heard she lives with her grandfather, though.

Is it odd that even now as my girlfriend exits the room, the only person I'm thinking about is Alberta Cadence Lee? Something about that girl interests me.

Regina Peil, 17

District 6 Female

Not too long after the reaping is over, my parents come to visit me. None of this is right! I can tell by the look on my mother's face, there's nothing they can do.

"I was so close to getting my license, and now my chance is ruined!" I pout. I can't help it, but I start crying.

"I don't want to die!"

My mom takes my hand, and gently squeezes it. How can my parents still look so serious after I had just been reaped? This isn't right, they should be saying something!

"I don't know what to tell you, Reg. I'm not gonna act like your chances are high, there's twenty-four other kids" My dad says. He's a realist at heart, and by no means intends on comforting me.

"Thanks a lot dad. If Grandma were around, she would have hope for me." I tug on the small tiara in my hair, the one my grandmother gave me before she died.

"I still have hope for you." My mother says. "There's nothing you can't do, but you'll need to be smart about how you approach this."

She's right. Often, I'm pretty risky with my decisions and I get too competitive sometimes. If I want to win this, I'm gonna have to find a new mindset.

Robbie Jute, 13

District 8 Male

My heart thumps fast, as I imagine the cruelty of what might happen to me in the following days or weeks. A knife to my chest? Worse things could happen, but all I know is that I am doomed. People my age never win the Hunger Games, and to make matters worse, I've been teased at school forever due to my lack of strength.

Calico runs into my arms, weeping. Tills is crying too, and my mama is trying hard to keep a straight face, but I see her eyes watering.

I know that this is the last time I'll ever see my family. I know we only have a few minutes, but I have to make it memorable. I'll never see any of them again.

Calico gives me the scrappy blue ribbon she had in her hair, and tells me to keep it, knowing I am only allowed one thing from home. I hug her again, and then hug my mother and twin sister.

"Please try not to die?" Chantilly says, a bit uncertain.

"I'll try, Tills, but I already know I'll be one of the weakest of the bunch."

I ask mama why my father left, knowing I'll never get an answer if I don't ask now.

"I wanted to tell when y'all were a bit older. But your daddy, he was… A cruel man. He tried to throw all three of you down a well when you were just babies, but I stopped him. And then he left, and I never heard from him again. He didn't want no children."

Then I begin crying too. I had hope in my heart that my father was waiting for me somewhere, but it turns out I was mistaken. He didn't love us, but knowing this now, I am so much more grateful for my mother, because she saved my life. But she can't save my life now. Only I can save myself.

I try to talk more, but the peacekeepers announce it is time for my family to go. I hug them all one last time, and give a tearful goodbye. I tie the blue ribbon my little sister give me around my wrist, and close my eyes, waiting for this nightmare to be over.

Back with another chapter ;) I got this one done really quickly, and I am really impressed with how I am able to write these chapters within an hour and get them posted so fast, I really hope it doesn't looked rushed tho. I enjoyed writing this chapter, and next we have the train rides! I still haven't planned those out yet, but expect it to come in the next few days. I'm also sorry if your tribute didn't get a pov this chapter! I was originally going to split the goodbyes into separate parts so I could give everyone a pov, but I didn't because I couldn't think of an idea for what to write for most of them. I hope you enjoyed this, and as always, please let me know what you think!

Questions:

(i'm struggling to think of questions, so if you have any suggestions let me know)

1) Whose pov was your favorite this chapter?

2) Do you think Sasha was right to react like that?

3) Do you think Namid and Alberta will get along?

4) Which tributes do you see your own tribute(s) allying with?

5) Who is your least favorite tribute so far in this story?

-xo, cassy